Lee returns to Bucs coaching staff

LAKE CHARLES, LA (KPLC) - Former Swashbucklers head coach Darnell Lee said if things worked out, he might return to the Bucs someday.

That day has arrived sooner than he thought it would.

Lee has resigned as the head coach of the IFL's Alaska Wild. He's now the new offensive coordinator and vice president of operations for the Louisiana Swashbucklers.

During his time with the Swashbucklers, Lee was the head coach during three championship seasons while playing in two different leagues. Now he'll be back as an assistant coach for Michael Warren. Warren was Lee's defensive coordinator during his time as head coach of the Bucs.

Even though Lee is back, Warren is still the head coach of the Swashbucklers. Warren was named head coach on May 5th. He took over for Shadrick McAfee.

"Alaska didn't work out," Lee said. "(They) had a change in ownership and then a change in the status of the team. So I basically resigned from my position up there and made the move back home."

Warren says he was thrilled to welcome Lee back to the Bucs.

"He came back home and I had to get him back on the staff," Warren said. "He's a part of this organization and I just had to get him back on the staff."

Lee is not returning to the Bucs alone. He's also bringing back some former Bucs players who went with him to the Alaska Wild. Players like wide receiver Henry Hunter and defensive back Damien Huren are now going to be added to the Bucs' roster. Huren says he's keeping a promise he made to Swashbucklers owner Thom Hager.

"I always told Mr. Hager if anything went wrong, I'd be back," Huren said. "I guess things just didn't go the way we thought they were going to go. We tried to stick it out as long as we could. But we're back and we're back for a reason. That's to bring home another ring."

"Every week we were checking on the guys to see how they were doing," Hunter said. "We know a lot of them were checking on us up in Alaska. This is a brotherhood here. This is a family. That's one of the things that drew us back. Hopefully, we can put this thing together here in the midway point of this season. Let's get this thing rolling."

The Bucs will play the Albany Panthers on the road in their next matchup. That game will be played on May 15th.